Lillie's Box

I made this project for my niece Lillie’s 4th birthday. I wanted to make her a box that could be a keepsake and gain some experience with box making. I purchased all of the wood at an estate sale for a couple of bucks. The box is made of African Mahogany and the legs are Honduran Rosewood. The design for the body and legs were taken from issue 202 (Jan/Dec 2010/2011) of Wood magazine. The top was of my own design. My awesome wife painted the Lily on top based on a tattoo my niece’s mother got after she was born. I finished the box with BLO and Minwax Polycrylic Gloss spray. First time using both products and I was very happy with the rich color given by the BLO and the quick application of the water based Polycrylic. I welcome all suggestions for improvement given I’m only in my second year doing woodworking.

The box and that picture of her cradling it at that age will be a heirloom.

This reminds me of my favorite woodworking quote:

“When we build, let us think that we build forever. Let it not be for present delight nor for present use alone. Let it be such work as our descendants will thank us for; and let us think…that a time is to come when those (heirlooms) will be held sacred because our hands have touched them, and that men will say, as they look upon the labor and wrought substance of them, ‘See! This our father did for us.’ “